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A coalition of researchers and development partners has unveiled a new report highlighting the growing challenge of urban displacement in Lagos and calling for inclusive policies to support affected populations.

The report, titled ‘Navigating Protracted Displacement: Governance, Community Resilience, and Inclusive Solutions for IDPs in Lagos,’ was produced by the Centre for Housing and Sustainable Development (CHSD), University of Lagos, in partnership with the Technical University of Berlin, and commissioned by Heinrich Böll Stiftung Nigeria.

Findings from the study showed that internal displacement in Nigeria has expanded beyond the conflict-ridden North-East, with thousands of displaced persons now living in Lagos and other cities under precarious conditions. Many of them face housing insecurity, lack of documentation, and limited access to essential services.

Speaking at the national launch in Abuja, the CHSD team described the trend as an ’emerging urban crisis’ that requires coordinated action from all tiers of government.

‘Urban IDPs are often invisible within policy and planning frameworks,’ a CHSD representative noted. ‘They deserve the same recognition and protection as those in traditional displacement settings.’

The event brought together officials from federal ministries, state governments, humanitarian agencies, and community leaders to discuss strategies for integrating IDP inclusion into national and state development plans.

The report proposes a five-pillar framework for durable solutions, focusing on legal inclusion, tenure security, livelihood recovery, social cohesion, and institutional coordination. It also advocates for a gender-sensitive approach to address the particular vulnerabilities of women and children in informal settlements.

Organisers expressed hope that the findings would drive policy reforms, including the adoption of a Lagos State IDP Inclusion Law and federal recognition of urban IDPs.

‘Displacement is no longer just a humanitarian concern-it’s an urban development issue,’ the report concludes. ‘Nigeria must act now to ensure no one is left behind in our cities.’

Advertising Regulatory Council of Nigeria (ARCON), in collaboration with Nigerian Bar Association – Lawyers in the Media Forum (NBA-LIM), has vowed to strengthen stakeholder engagement and deepen understanding of Nigeria’s advertising regulatory framework.

This is as they host a Town-Hall Meeting: ‘The Nigerian Advertising Law: The Role of the Advertising Offences Tribunal (AOT)’tomorrow at Sheba Events Center, Lagos. The bench and bar, advertising practitioners, industry stakeholders, and the public will deliberate on dynamics of Nigeria’s advertising law and implementation under the Advertising Offences Tribunal.

Billed to give a keynote address is Chief Akinlolu Kehinde (SAN). A panel discussion will feature Dr. Olalekan Fadolapo, director-general of ARCON; Mazi Afam Osigwe (SAN), president of NBA; Charles Odenigbo, director-general of Centre for Media Law and Development; and Lanre Adisa, chair of Heads of Advertising Sectoral Groups.

Speaking ahead of the Town-Hall, Dr. Fadolapo, reaffirmed the council’s commitment to strengthening the regulatory ecosystem through strategic stakeholder engagement and legal alignment.

He said: ‘Our engagement with stakeholders is not episodic but a deliberate, continuous exercise grounded in our vision to build a responsible and globally competitive advertising industry in Nigeria. This meeting is part of our broader effort to institutionalise dialogue, transparency, and compliance across the advertising value chain.’

He reiterated that the collaboration with Nigerian Bar Association is a demonstration of ARCON’s commitment to enforcing Advertising Law in accordance with due process and international best practice.

‘We are creating a regulatory environment that balances creativity with compliance. Advertising Offences Tribunal is a crucial instrument for ensuring accountability, deterrence, and fairness. As we continue to strengthen our institutional frameworks, we are focused on promoting professionalism, protecting consumer rights, and upholding integrity of advertising,’ he added.

The All Progressives Congress (APC) in Delta State has passed a vote of confidence in President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and Governor Sheriff Oborevwori, endorsing them as the party’s sole candidates for the 2027 general elections.

The endorsement took place during a well-attended APC Stakeholders Meeting at the State Banquet Hall in Asaba, the state capital.

The meeting gathered influential party leaders, current and former lawmakers, and key political figures from Delta’s three senatorial districts.

The motion for the vote of confidence was introduced by the Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, SAN, and seconded former Delta Speaker Victor Ochei.

Keyamo praised Tinubu’s leadership, highlighting his ‘bold reforms and transformative leadership’ and specifically mentioning the removal of fuel subsidy as a prudent decision that has redirected significant funds toward critical national infrastructure projects.

Keyamo pointed out recent developments, including the President’s approval of $1 billion for the revival of the Warri port and other major projects like the Lagos/Calabar coastal road and enhancements to Lagos Airport-outcomes attributed to the savings gained from subsidy removal.

He described Tinubu as a ‘prudent manager and visionary leader.’

Keyamo noted Governor Oborevwori’s contributions to substantial infrastructural development within Delta State and reinforced his call for the party’s endorsement of both leaders for the 2027;elections.

He said the passing of this motion reflected a strong unity within the APC in Delta State in support of their leadership.

He also commended Governor Oborevwori for his visionary leadership and for the massive infrastructural development across Delta State.

He moved that ‘the Delta APC pass a vote of confidence in President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, Governor Sheriff Oborevwori and adopt them as the party’s sole candidates for the 2027 general election.’

Seconding the motion, which was unanimously adopted, Ochei hailed Tinubu and Governor Oborevwori’s inclusive governance and developmental impact across Nigeria and Delta State, respectively.

The Governor commended President Tinubu’s leadership, describing him as ‘a man who rewards loyalty, commitment, and results.’

‘In 2027, our votes will be our report card. Those who claim to love the President must show it through the ballot. I won 21 out of 25 local governments in the last election because we worked and stayed loyal. That’s what real commitment means,’ Oborevwori said.

The Governor warned against disloyalty within the party, stressing that some members who did not work for APC during the last elections had benefited unduly.

‘Some in power today didn’t work for the APC, but we know them. When the time comes, we will expose them. This time, loyalty will be rewarded, not hypocrisy,’ he declared.

He emphasised unity and collective decision-making, urging leaders to put the interest of the party above personal ambitions.

On governance, the Governor highlighted ongoing infrastructural projects across Delta State – including the ?59 billion Uromi Junction flyover project, the ?39 billion Ughelli Flyover, and the coming Tuesday groundbreaking of Warri/Sapele Road rehabilitation.

‘This is the only state where contractors are not owed. We pay 40% mobilization upfront. That’s because we are managing resources efficiently, and the President’s reforms are yielding results,’ Oborevwori said.

Immediate past Governor Senator Ifeanyi Okowa, expressed delight at the gathering, describing the April 28, 2025 mass defection into the APC as ‘a turning point in the state’s political history.’

‘Today, I can confidently say that joining the APC was the right step in the right direction. The party is now stronger, more united, and better positioned for victory in 2027,’ Okowa said.

He praised Tinubu’s economic decisions as ‘bold and necessary,’ urging leaders to enlighten their constituents on the long-term benefits of current reforms.

Okowa commended Oborevwori for uniting the party, saying his humility and inclusive leadership had strengthened Delta APC across all senatorial districts.

The country is losing an estimated N500 billion to N900 billion every year in unrealised revenue, duplication, and productivity losses due to the continued absence of a functional National Single Window (NSW) for trade facilitation, the Sea Empowerment and Research Center (SEREC) has revealed.

The maritime research and policy advocacy group said the staggering losses stem from fragmented digital systems, overlapping agency functions, and weak coordination among government institutions, factors that continue to make neighbouring ports in Cotonou, Lome, and Tema more competitive.

SEREC made this known in its latest bulletin titled ‘Nigeria’s Path Toward Seamless Cargo Clearance – The Imperative of a Functional National Single Window’.

The organisation described the planned launch of the NSW by January 2026 as a potential turning point for Nigeria’s trade efficiency and customs modernisation drive.

According to SEREC, the NSW initiative, spearheaded by the National Trade Facilitation Committee (NTFC) and the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), could mark Nigeria’s transition into a globally competitive logistics hub, but only if governance integrity, interoperability, and inclusivity are prioritised over bureaucratic dominance.

‘The absence of a unified Single Window continues to drain the economy of between N500 billion and N900 billion annually through inefficiency, administrative duplication, and lost productivity,’

‘Nigeria cannot afford to lag behind in the digital integration race when smaller ports in the subregion are already ahead,’ SEREC warned.

The group noted that while Nigeria has transitioned through multiple electronic trade systems – from Asycuda to PAAR/NICIS I and II, and now the B’Odogwu platform – none has delivered the long-promised seamless cargo clearance process. It said persistent system downtimes, weak inter-agency collaboration, and limited stakeholder consultation have hindered progress.

Drawing lessons from Singapore’s globally acclaimed TradeNet system, managed by CrimsonLogic, SEREC urged the government to develop a homegrown, integrated electronic trade network tailored to Nigeria’s operational realities. It said the Singapore model succeeded because of institutional coordination, trust, and shared commitment to trade facilitation rather than revenue competition.

SEREC commended the Federal Government for establishing an Independent National Single Window Secretariat, describing it as a step in the right direction, but warned that its oversight must remain neutral and transparent to prevent sectoral dominance.

It called for clearly defined engagement rules, measurable key performance indicators (KPIs), and a focus on trade facilitation outcomes rather than just revenue collection. The group also urged a shift away from overreliance on foreign consultants toward empowering local experts who understand Nigeria’s Cost, Insurance and Freight (CIF) trade model.

Highlighting the economic stakes, SEREC presented verified fiscal data showing Nigeria Customs’ remarkable revenue growth – from N3.2 trillion in 2023 to N6.105 trillion in 2024, representing a 90.4 per cent increase. As of mid-2025, Customs had already collected N3.68 trillion, or 55.9 per cent of its N6.58 trillion target, which was later revised upward to N10 trillion by the National Assembly.

However, the group stressed that despite these figures, ‘efficiency leakages, compliance gaps, and bureaucratic overlaps’ still erode the full potential of customs operations, especially amid low import volumes.

According to SEREC’s projections, a fully functional NSW could boost Customs revenue by 10-20 per cent annually, generating between N600 billion and N1.2 trillion in additional income; reduce cargo dwell time by 35-45 per cent, saving the private sector an estimated N300-N400 billion annually in logistics and demurrage costs; and cut overall trade transaction costs by 20-25 per cent, significantly improving the country’s global logistics competitiveness ranking.

In addition, SEREC estimated that a robust NSW ecosystem could create over 100,000 direct and indirect jobs in ICT, logistics, and data management, while attracting $2-$3 billion in private sector investment within five years. This, it said, could expand the maritime sector’s GDP contribution by up to 1.5 per cent

Despite these projections, the group cautioned that the success of the NSW would depend not on technological sophistication but on governance integrity, inter-agency coordination, and genuine stakeholder inclusiveness.

‘The success of Nigeria’s trade facilitation agenda hinges not on the sophistication of its software but on the integrity of its governance and the inclusivity of its design. The National Single Window must be pursued as a national economic reform – not merely an automation project,’ it stated.

The group urged all stakeholders, including government agencies, freight forwarders, terminal operators, shipping lines, and the trading community, to commit to a culture of **efficiency, transparency, and mutual trust.

‘Trade facilitation must come first; revenue will follow efficiency. Only then can Nigeria’s ports become truly competitive within the West African subregion,’ it added.

SEREC reaffirmed its support for the National Trade Facilitation Committee (NTFC) and the NCS, urging them to ensure that the B’Odogwu platform evolves into a durable and interoperable digital foundation capable of sustaining the forthcoming NSW regime.

Madagascar’s President Andry Rajoelina’s office said yesterday an attempt to seize state power illegally was underway, a day after troops from an army unit sided with anti-government protesters.

‘There is an attempt to seize power at this time in the territory of the republic, in complete violation of the constitution and democratic principles,’ a presidential statement said yesterday.

In a video statement on Saturday, troops from the Army Personnel Administration Center (CAPSAT), a military unit instrumental in Rajoelina’s rise to power through a 2009 coup, declared its support for the anti-government protests that began last month.

‘This country is facing a collapse of basic services, security forces must not follow blindly unlawful orders,’ they said.

Today, CAPSAT officers, in a video message, said that they will take control of the armed forces, saying: ‘From now on, all orders of the Malagasy army – whether land, air or the navy – will originate from CAPSAT headquarters.’

First Lady Senator Oluremi Tinubu has fulfilled the first phase of her pledge to her alma mater, Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU), Ile-Ife, with the donation of 21 new shuttle buses to the institution.

According to a statement by the university’s Public Relations Officer, Abiodun Olarewaju, the gesture is part of a total pledge of 50 buses aimed at modernising OAU’s internal transport system.

The vehicles were delivered exactly one year after Mrs. Tinubu announced the donation.

Olarewaju said the initiative began in October 2024 when the First Lady, during the 50th birthday of the Ooni of Ife, Oba Adeyeye Ogunwusi, Ojaja II, expressed concern over the heavy reliance on commercial motorcycles within the campus. Describing the situation as ‘unbefitting of a 21st-century world-class African university,’ she pledged to provide safer, modern alternatives.

The first batch of white shuttle buses arrived on October 10, drawing excitement from students and staff as the vehicles were unveiled and test-driven by Vice-Chancellor Prof. Adebayo Bamire and other management members.

Prof. Bamire hailed the donation as ‘a luminous act of benevolence that illuminates OAU’s path toward excellence.’ He said the buses will replace unsafe motorcycles, connect lecture halls, hostels, and offices, and ‘revolutionise our internal mobility with comfort and safety.’

The vice-chancellor added that the initiative would also promote environmental sustainability and inclusivity for persons with mobility challenges. He urged other alumni to emulate Mrs. Tinubu’s example by supporting the university through endowments, mentorship, and innovation.

He described the First Lady’s gesture as ‘a timely intervention that sets a powerful precedent for philanthropy in education.’

Polaris Bank has been adjudged for the fifth consecutive time as the best in digital banking, underlining the bank’s cutting-edge technologies and transformative customer experience.

The bank was also at the weekend voted the best bank in lending and general ecosystem for micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) for the fourth consecutive year.

Polari Bank reaffirmed its dominance in the digital banking space by clinching the ‘Digital Bank of the Year’ and ‘Best Bank for MSMEs’ awards at the 2025 BusinessDay Banks and Other Financial Institutions (BAFI) Awards.

Speaking on the double recognition, Managing Director, Polaris Bank, Kayode Lawal, said being adjudged the best for the fifth consecutive year underscored the bank’s industry leadership, customer trust, and unwavering commitment to innovation and inclusion.

He dedicated the awards to the bank’s customers and employees.

‘Winning the Digital Bank of the Year for the fifth time and Best Bank for MSMEs for the fourth time is both humbling and inspiring. It validates our belief that true innovation begins and ends with the customer. Our mission has always been to use technology as an enabler of opportunity – to make banking not only easier but transformative. These awards belong to our customers, our people, and every partner who believes in our vision,’ Lawal said.

He further assured that Polaris Bank will continue to invest in digital infrastructure, as it did recently with a seamless core banking application upgrade, enhance financial inclusion, and deliver consistent, integrated experiences across all customer channels.

Receiving the awards on behalf of the bank, Chief Digital Officer, Polaris Bank, Dele Adeyinka described the recognition as an affirmation of the bank’s people-centered digital transformation journey.

‘This award is a celebration of our customers, whose trust and engagement inspire every innovation we create. VULTe is more than a platform; it is a community of empowered users who bank, borrow, save, and grow with ease. Every update and every feature we roll out reflects our commitment to making banking smarter, simpler, and more inclusive for every Nigerian,’ Adeyinka said.

He noted that Polaris Bank continues to redefine digital banking in Nigeria through bold innovations, customer-centric solutions, and sector-shaping initiatives.

According to him, with an unrelenting focus on financial inclusion and customer empowerment, the Bank’s digitally led strategy has transformed how Nigerians access, manage, and grow their finances.

At the heart of this transformation is VULTe, Polaris Bank’s flagship digital platform, which has recorded phenomenal growth and activity in 2025. Within the first eight months of the year, the platform handled an extraordinary volume of transactions, reflecting the deep trust, widespread adoption, and scale of Polaris Bank’s digital ecosystem. More than just enabling seamless banking, VULTe continues to power the financial backbone of businesses and individuals across Nigeria.

Far beyond being another banking app, the upgraded VULTe 3.0 stands as a best-in-class digital banking solution. It integrates AI-powered features that personalize user experiences, automate engagement, and enhance operational efficiency.

Since its initial launch in 2021, Polaris Bank has maintained a culture of continuous improvement, upgrading features based on real customer feedback to elevate user experience and set new industry standards. This agile approach ensures that VULTe is not only keeping pace with the global digital economy but is also leading the charge in Nigeria.

Polaris Bank equally recognizes that MSMEs remain the backbone of Nigeria’s economy and has deliberately deployed digital solutions to empower this vital sector. In the second quarter of 2025, the Bank launched a major funding initiative to empower professionals in the creative industry through strategic partnerships with Woodhall Capital (UK), the Lagos State Government, and the British Government. In the months that followed, the Bank expanded its support to hundreds of small and medium enterprises across various sectors, with a strong focus on providing financing to women-owned and women-led businesses in education, fashion, and other key industries. These interventions underscore Polaris Bank’s enduring commitment to inclusive growth and gender empowerment.

Through simplified applications, digital credit assessments, and integration with VULTe for Business, SMEs enjoy faster and easier access to working capital, free from the traditional bottlenecks of banking. This approach is turning business survival stories into success stories across Nigeria.

BusinessDay has long celebrated innovation and corporate leadership, and Polaris Bank’s story exemplifies both. With VULTe 3.0, the Bank has built Nigeria’s most agile AI-driven digital banking ecosystem. By placing customer feedback at the core of product evolution, Polaris ensures that every innovation addresses real needs. Through digital credit expansion and data-driven insights, the Bank is directly fueling economic growth and empowering Nigeria’s entrepreneurial base.

In Nigeria’s banking and financial sector where many promise transformation, Polaris Bank continues to deliver measurable, customer-validated results. Through its digitally led initiatives, relentless pursuit of customer satisfaction, and strong contributions to SME growth, Polaris Bank is not merely adapting to the digital age – it is defining it.

Nigerian Breweries Plc has urged the Federal Government to adopt homegrown regulatory solutions that support industrial growth, warning against the proposed introduction of foreign tax stamps on excisable goods.

The company said the plan could duplicate existing monitoring systems, increase production costs, and hurt consumers, stressing the need to strengthen local compliance frameworks instead.

Speaking during a media parley in Lagos, Corporate Affairs Director, Nigerian Breweries Plc, Uzodinma Odenigbo, said the industry already operates under robust excise monitoring mechanisms, making a foreign tax stamp unnecessary.

‘Our industry is one of the most compliant in Nigeria. Customs officers have dedicated workstations in our breweries; FIRS monitors production through e-invoicing, and we use the Excise Reporting System for real-time data. Introducing a foreign tax stamp is unnecessary, costly, and counterproductive,’ Odenigbo said.

He explained that beer production in Nigeria is highly capital-intensive, with full traceability from manufacturing to retail.

According to him, the proposed tax stamp system, already proven problematic in other African countries, could drive up operating costs, increase product prices, and hurt consumers.

He said: ‘In Tanzania, productivity dropped by 40 per cent after tax stamps were introduced, while Mozambique recorded a 20 per cent decline. These are clear warning signs. When costs rise, consumers ultimately bear the brunt.

‘What we need are solutions tailored to Nigeria’s realities, not imported models that ignore our environment’.

Odenigbo maintained that both the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) and Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS) already have digital systems that guarantee transparency in excise collection. Importing a foreign-managed technology, he warned, could trigger capital flight and expose the sector to external dependencies.

‘We should strengthen local compliance structures instead of replacing them. Foreign systems come with high costs and long-term maintenance risks,’ he said.

According to him, the company and other manufacturers under the Manufacturers Association of Nigeria (MAN) are engaging government agencies, including the Federal Ministry of Finance, FIRS, and Ministry of Industry, Trade and Investment, to demonstrate that current monitoring mechanisms already ensure full visibility and accountability.

‘Our objective is to work collaboratively with government to design policies that enhance competitiveness rather than weaken it,’ Odenigbo explained.

He also commended the media for its role in driving public understanding of regulatory and economic issues, describing journalists as ‘critical partners in national development.’

Speaking on the company’s sustainability agenda, the company’s Sustainability and CSR Manager, Oluseye Olokun, highlighted ongoing environmental and social initiatives under its global ‘Brew a Better World’ framework.

He said the company’s sustainability efforts are anchored on three pillars, including environmental impact reduction, social investment, and responsible consumption, aimed at achieving net-zero carbon emissions in production by 2030, and across the value chain by 2040.

‘We are decarbonising our operations through solar expansion in our breweries and are targeting 100 percent renewable energy in our Lagos and Ama plants,’ he said.

Olokun added that four of the company’s operational sites, including Lagos and Kaduna, are located in water-stressed regions, prompting the launch of a water balancing project that has already seen the planting of over 300,000 trees, with a target of one million by 2030.

Beyond environmental initiatives, Olokun said the company continues to empower local communities through entrepreneurship and social development. Since the launch of the Nigerian Breweries Empowerment Programme in 2019, over 2,300 beneficiaries, he said, have received vocational training, start-up tools, and business support.

Earlier this year, the company, he noted, commissioned an Entrepreneurship Development Centre in Kaduna to further strengthen youth empowerment and skills development.

Olokun also disclosed that the Heineken Africa Foundation, in partnership with Nigerian Breweries, is investing pound 2.25 million over three years to support smallholder farmers in Nigeria, enabling them to transition from subsistence to commercial production.

‘Our sustainability strategy is not just about the environment; it’s also about people, prosperity, and resilience,’ he said.

As part of its responsible drinking campaign, the company, he said, continues to promote moderation through nationwide initiatives such as ‘Don’t Drink and Drive’ in collaboration with the Federal Road Safety Commission (FRSC).

Olokun added that all NB products now carry clear labels indicating ’18+ only,’ ‘Not for pregnant women,’ and ‘Don’t drink and drive,’ as part of efforts to enhance consumer awareness and safety.

Reaffirming Nigerian Breweries’ leadership in Nigeria’s manufacturing space, Odenigbo said the company, established in 1946, will mark 80 years of operations in 2026, maintaining about 65 per cent market share and over 55 per cent share of voice.

He cited the company’s acquisition of Distell Wines and Spirits in 2023 as part of its diversification drive, with local production now taking place at its Ibadan brewery.

‘Our reusable glass bottles and crates remain central to our circular economy model, but theft and destruction undermine our sustainability goals. We urge the public to help protect this shared resource,’ he said.

Odenigbo concluded by reaffirming the company’s commitment to continued engagement with stakeholders, noting that partnership and transparency will remain central to its long-term growth.

‘From the Maltina Teacher of the Year to our renewable energy investments – these are examples of how we are brewing a better world. Partnership with purpose is what has taken us this far, and it’s what will take us into the future,’ he said.